Since September 11, 2001 public health has been responsible for planning and responding to incidents of bioterrorism and disease outbreaks such as pandemic influenza along with police, fire, ambulance and emergency service providers.

The Public Health Emergency Planning and Response section works closely with Illinois Department of Public Health’s Emergency Preparedness program. We receive grants from the state that allow us to plan and exercise plans for local public health emergencies like bioterrorism events or pandemic flu. Learn more about McLean County's Pandemic Flu Plan.

The role of the McLean County Health Department in an actual bioterrorism event would be to distribute antibiotics or vaccines to the residents of McLean County that may have been exposed to a biological agent.

Medical reserve Corps
The Public Health Emergency Planning and Response section also coordinates volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps. A community wide emergency would require extra help from those with health and medical skills and expertise. Most recently, the MRC assisted with the health department’s mass vaccination efforts during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Click below to find out more about the Medical Reserve Corps or to sign up as a volunteer.

For more information about the Medical Reserve Corps, review the Medical Reserve Corps Brochure
For more information about the McLean County MRC, visit http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/detail.asp?id=321
Click here for a downloadable and printable Medical Reserve Corps Application

IPHA Americorps Program